Medication and Injection Instructions: How To Use Your Fertility Medication
Over the course of your fertility treatment, you may be prescribed different medications. They may be delivered orally (pills or capsules), topically (patches, creams or suppositories), or as an injection.
- To find out how to use your medication, or to refresh your memory, you’ll find instructions here.
- Medications may be more commonly known by their brand names, generic names, or have similar-sounding names. Let us know if you need clarification on which instructions are right for you.
- If there are video instructions and/or handouts on how to use medications available, we have linked to that information.
- If you ever have a question or concern, you can always email us.
To help our patients, we have created the following list of medications that are commonly used in treating patients with fertility issues. Please note that this list is by no means comprehensive and that these medications should only be taken under the direction of a physician.
Antibiotics
Brand Name: Zithromax (Azithromycin), doxycycline, Flagyl
Used to treat infections that may be affecting fertility or during certain fertility procedures to reduce the risk of infection.
Blood thinners – Anticoagulants
Brand Name: Heparin, Lovenox
Used to help prevent miscarriages due to blood clotting of placental vessels.
Clomiphene Citrate – Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulation
Brand Name: Clomid
An oral medication used to induce ovulation or superovulation. It is also used to stimulate extra follicles and eggs to mature in the ovaries during the same menstrual cycle.
Corticosteroids – Anti-Inflammatory
Brand Name: Prednisone (methylprednisolone), Dexamethasone
Used as an anti-inflammatory and/or inhibits androgens during COS and embryo transfer. May also be used to treat auto-immune conditions that may impact fertility.
Estrogen
Brand Name: Estradiol (Estrace pills), Vivelle (Skin patches), Estradiol Valerate (intra-muscular injections)
Used in both IVF and non-IVF treatments, to improve endometrial growth, early pregnancy support, and in preparation for IVF as “priming protocol.”
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Estrogen (injections).
Ganirelix Acetate, Cetrotide
Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone (GnRH) Antagonist.
Used in controlled ovarian hyper-stimulation cycles for in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other procedures to prevent premature ovulation.
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Antagonist.
Cetrotide® Instructions
Ganirelix® Acetate Instructions
Gonadotropins – Follicle Stimulating Hormones
Brand Names: Follistim, Gonal-F
The primary injectable fertility medication type used to stimulate the ovaries. The injectable medications are often used for controlled ovarian stimulation during IVF cycles, but can also be used with intercourse or artificial insemination/intrauterine insemination.
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Follicle Stimulating Hormones.
Follistim® AQ Cartridge Instructions
Gonal-f® Multi Dose Vial Instructions
Gonal-f® RFF 75IU Vial Instructions
Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject Pen Instructions
hCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
Brand Name: Pregnyl, Novarel, Ovidrel
Used to mimic the lutenizing hormone that signals ovulation. It is routinely used to trigger ovulation when gonadotropins are used to stimulate ovulation.
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.
hGH – Human Growth Hormone
Brand Name: Omnitrope, Saizen
Used before and/or during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) that may help improve egg/embryo quality, especially among women older than 40 years.
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Human Growth Hormone.
hMG – Human Menopausal Gonadotropin
Brand Name: Menopur
Used to induce controlled ovarian stimulation often in conjunction with FSH injections, in women for IVF. It can also be used to treat conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, or pituitary issues that may be affecting fertility.
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Human Menopausal Gonadotropin.
Letrozole – Aromatase Inhibitors
Brand Name: Femara
An oral medication used to “trick” the body into suppressing estrogen levels. This causes the brain and pituitary gland to create more Follicle Stimulating Hormone which can assist with induction of ovulation or lead to superovulation.
Leuprolide – Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone (GnRH) Agonist
Brand Name: Lupron
Used to prevent premature ovulation and to create a clean slate on which to create a controlled ovarian stimulation cycle for in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other procedures.
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Agonist.
Leuprolide Acetate Instructions
Leuprolide Trigger Instructions
Pentoxifylline
Brand Name: Trental
Increases blood flow. Used for endometrial lining development.
Progesterone
Brand Name: Progesterone intra-muscular (injection in oil or other solute); Prometrium (pill), Provera (pill), Endometrin (vaginal suppository)
Various forms are used during both IVF and non-IVF treatments, to improve endometrial receptivity, early pregnancy support, and to prevent recurrent miscarriages. Delivered using intramuscular injections in oil, vaginal suppositories, or oral pills. Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Progesterone (injections).
Sildenafil
Brand Name: Viagra
Increases blood flow. Used for endometrial lining development and ovarian responsiveness.
Testosterone
Used to help “recruit” eggs in IVF preparation cycle leading up to COS and egg retrieval.
Use the following instructions to assist in the preparation and administration of Testosterone (injections).
